British bank HSBC looked at economic opportunities and quality of life for expats in 34 countries and no surprise, Kuwait didn’t do so well. But what I’m finding difficult to grasp is how did Saudi Arabia come ahead? On the bright side, even though we came behind Saudi Arabia we did come ahead of the UK.
Here is an article on this study [Link]
Here is the link to the HSBC study [Link]
Thanks John
13 replies on “Best and worst countries to be an expatriate”
“Also at the bottom of the list is much of Western Europe, which the report says is often too expensive for expats.”
Morever the western european economy is in shambles due to which they are not friendly to expats immigrating to their nations. Other issues are Discrimination against muslims is rising although it is still in starting stages.
Also if you play with the rankings Saudi is lowest for “Experience”, and Kuwait seems to be the lowest for raw income.
I am an expat living in Kuwait for many years. I think Kuwait is not as bad it seems especially from the prospect of financial state. I have stayed in Europe and the cost of the living is so much even i saved little despite a descent earning. In Kuwait i save much better.Besides Kuwait has quiet a peaceful and secure atmosphere compared to many Western nations.
The part where Kuwait suffers is the unskilled workers treatment & rights besides discrimination against expats. If these are overcome i think Kuwait will climb towards the upper part of the list.I hope the kuwaiti government becomes concious about it because they have neglected it since the last few decades.
Possibly the Saudi expats they sampled, to get the data, lived in those enclosed cities, which are supposed to have everything available.
Compounds
A survey by HSBC?
Interesting, but how trustworthy is this from an international commercial bank with not such a great track-record regarding truth, ethics and moral values?
We’re talking about the same HSBC who has been involved in ‘… the largest drug-and-terrorism money-laundering case ever.’ (February 2013)
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/gangster-bankers-too-big-to-jail-20130214
Banks and Insurance companies follow their own agenda and are the main cause of the current financial crisis, of which they still benefit at the cost of pension-funds and the common man in the street, who’s lost his savings and sometimes even his house.
A survey done by an independent party or institute would have made some sense perhaps, but a report from this bank is worth as much as the value of the paper on which it’s printed.
You all apparently don’t read AB. Recently there was a crackdown on unlicensed expat businesses in SA that generated alot of money for expats. Expats had a timeframe to license them or face closure. These were businesses that made some expats wealthy, but hurt Saudi competitors, hence, the crackdown.
Another publicity stunt …
“In 2013 over 7,000 expats answered”
That cracked me up. Lets give them the benefit of doubt and say its 7,999 expats that answered ….. Thats too small a number for study that compared the world.
I’ve lived in a few of the countries on that list and my opinions are different, doesn’t matter if its better or worse. I just wonder how many street cleaners they asked.
I call bullshit.
I second it!
People can’t handle the truth. Ali I guess u r Kuwaiti. HSBC exists in a lot of countries, so their survey makes sense.
What makes this the truth? HSBC?